Orwell’s use of symbolism in “1984” Essay

In 1984, Orwell makes excellent white plague of symbolism to further enhance the novels rootages. Orwell wrote 1984 as a political message to warn future generations ab bulge out the dangers of totalitarian societies. He urgently relays this message through conglomerate newspapers, and in turn utilizes coercive symbols to give these themes further signifi put upce. Psychological and physical apply is a theme that Orwell religiously includes throughout the novel. Symbols such(prenominal) as doublethink and the telescreens provide a direct mergeion to this theme. An early(a) theme apparent in 1984 is that of intellectual rise and the desire to diverge against a higher authority. Orwell, through Winstons ledger and glass paperweight, manages to use these symbols to assist in the portrayal this theme.One of the companionships main goals is to sway its peoples thoughts. By intention all(prenominal)y weakening ones recollection of the past and flooding their minds with propaga nda, the companionship is able to replace unmarrieds memories with its own version of the truth. Winston, however, struggles to try and remember his history. He is persistent in trying to make sense of what has happened to the world. In turn, he buys a glass paperweight in an antique store, which symbolizes his attempt to have-to doe with with the past. And when reposition failed and written records were falsified?when that happened, the claim of the Party to have improved the conditions of human sustenance had got to be accepted, because there did not exist, and never again could exist, any model against which it could be tested. This is when Winston, after conversing with an old man, realizes that the Party has deliberately set out to weaken peoples memories in order to halt their fictional version of the present.When The Thought Police arrests Winston for his attempts to recall the past, the glass paperweight shatters. It is as if all his ideologies and hopes to make sens e of the world have to a fault shattered. Since the party maintains such control all over its citizens, an individual caught thinking against what the party deems as acceptable, can be arrested and punished. Similar to the paperweight, the dust also wreaks Winstons attempt to connect with the past and intellectually rebel against enormous Brother. Winston and Julia met in a cold room in the Prole district of Oceania. The Proles represent what life was equal before the revolution, and before The Party came into power because they live uncontrolled lives. Yet,they too symbolize hope. Winston hopes that the Proles will one day rise up against fine-looking Brother and restore freedom to all citizens. The paperweight, the dust and the Proles each represent Winstons knowledge that there exists a higher meaning other than Big Brother. Consequently, throughout the novel he reveals this to readers. An example of this is when he subconsciously writes DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER five times in his daybook.Furthermore, the daybook in which Winston dutifully writes his innermost feelings in, represents the forbidden but also ties into the theme of control. Big Brother has such restrain over his citizens, that a pure expression of free thought, or attempts to recall past events, are considered to be serious thought crimes. In opus in his journal, Winston basically rebels against Big Brother. He knows that it is a severe crime in The Partys eyes, but does so anyhow. In his journal, Winston writes things that allow readers to accept that he recognizes the dangers of the companionship he lives in. The partys goals of complete mental and physical control over people are too much for Winston to handle therefore he expresses these beliefs on paper.He writes, Freedom is the freedom to say that dickens prescribed two make four. Because doublethink has been introduced by Big Brother to essentially brainwash the public, the above statement is not considered true. The Party, through doublethink, tries to make citizens believe that two plus two equals five, which is clearly false. For this reason, Winstons journal provides him with a temporary out, an escape from his corrupted world.In 1984, Orwell includes ministries that are responsible for various things. Their names however, contradict their functions. The Ministry of Peace encourages war, the Ministry of Truth produces propaganda, and the Ministry of Love operates based on acts of torture and punishment. This concept, known as doublethink is The Partys method of dictatorial control. Orwell uses doublethink to portray the brainwashing techniques totalitarian authoritiess exercise. Doublethink has lead citizens to believe that two plus two equals five. As the Partys psychological control techniques control down an individuals ability to think freely, it becomes possible for that individual to believe anything they are told, and this is the ultimate formof psychological control.Just as doublethink symbolizes psychological control in 1984, the telescreens represent the aspect of physical control The Party has over its citizens. The telescreens provide a faceless surveillance window into each persons life. These devices are totally perfected in that they can detect almost anything, even the beating of ones heart. You could not control the breathing of your heart, and the telescreens was quite delicate enough to break down it up Because the telescreens can never be turned off, residents of Oceania are ever monitored. They symbolize the bodily power the party has over its people. Their omnipresence gives individuals no freedom whatsoever and Orwell uses them to warn his readers about the lengths a tyrannical government will go to, to gain total physical control over its people.Through the use of symbolism, Orwell assists in relaying his political message to readers. The Party floods residents of Oceania with psychological motivation designed to overwhelm the minds capacity for self-sufficient thought. It also uses advanced methods of technology to control ones each move. Yet Winston, who although is more or less controlled by Big Brother, manages to pretty diverge. Moreover, Orwell portrays the themes of intellectual rebellion and ultimate control through the use of umpteen unique symbols. The paperweight, the Proles and the dust all show Winstons desire to connect with the past, something completely forbidden by The Party.Along the same lines, Winstons journal also acts as a symbol to illustrate his desire to rebel. Whereas doublethink symbolizes the psychological control Big Brother had on his people, the telescreens symbolize the physical control he had over his subjects. Orwells main goal in writing 1984 was to warn future generations about the dangers of totalitarian governments. He effectively does so by incorporating themes, which correspondingly embrace symbolism. All of these symbols give 1984s themes long suit and deeper insight into the no vel.